The 2011 Columbia Gorge Marathon will take place on October 23rd. This is an ideal destination marathon with plenty of fun activities, scenery, and excellent restaurants in Hood River, Oregon. Portland, where many participants live, is not so far away that an overnight stay is required, but the convenience is a great excuse for a weekend away. We stayed at the Inn at the Gorge last year and the proprietor was very accommodating, fixing us a quick breakfast prior to the race and letting us check out late so we could shower after the run.

If an overnight stay isn’t in the cards for you, there is a Portland packet pick-up on Friday, October 21st at Fit Right Northwest from 2:00 to 6:30 pm. Packet pick-up in Hood River will be held at Shortt Supply (performance footwear and apparel) on Oak Street from noon to 7:00 pm on Saturday. Regardless of where you pick up your packet, be sure to check out the store’s new 5,000 sq ft space while you’re in town—but don’t forget to bring change for the parking meters. I had to scrounge dimes from under my floor mats to make sure I didn’t get a ticket from the diligent meter man just down the street.

There has been a slight change to the course this year—competitors will be bussed from the finish area at Port Marina Park to the Mark O. Hatfield Trailhead. This moves the turn-around point for the full marathon to the beautiful Rowena Crest Viewpoint. There is significant road construction on I-84 near Hood River, so be sure to leave extra time to arrive at the parking area. There will be Porta-Potties at the parking area and buses will be taking competitors to the starting area.

The course starts out with a short uphill, which should help curb the tendency of many runners to go out too fast (well, it worked for me anyway). The scenery is fantastic, with glimpses of the Columbia River peeking through the trees. Many of the trees are deciduous on this section of the course, and the leaves should be turning to brilliant oranges and reds by the time race day rolls around. The white wooden guardrails remind me of picket fences and lend a bucolic touch feel to the course.

There is a fairly steep downhill starting around mile three, but fortunately running through the twin tunnels is pretty cool and tends to take some of the sting out of your quads (or at least makes you forget about it for a minute). The downhill bottoms out at about mile five as you start a gradual ascent through the little town of Mosier. Ten Speed Coffee East is an excellent viewing point for your friends and family; they will be able to see you on the way out (around mile 5) and back (around mile 18) and still have plenty of time to get back to the park to see your glorious finish. (The half marathoners won’t quite make it in to Mosier, so a better place to watch for those participants is in front of Ground Coffee on Oak St. in Hood River (I’m sensing a lucky theme for the spectators).

After leaving Mosier, the course winds up (and up and up) through some of the most beautiful scenery you could hope for including orchards and a vineyard. Parts of the course can be very exposed to the famous Columbia Gorge wind, so be sure to dress in layers that can be pulled on and off easily as you alternate between the bare and sheltered areas. As you approach the crest, the trees become predominately evergreen and the terrain is more starkly beautiful than the lushness at the beginning of the course. If you’re lucky enough to see the sun striking the hills on your way up, you may just want to stop and take a picture (a nice souvenir, which doubles as an excuse if you turn in a slow time).

Right near the top of the last hill, you will turn right into the Rowena Crest Viewpoint. As a mentioned earlier, the course was changed so this spot could serve as the turnaround, and it was a stroke of genius on the part of the race directors (I swear, I don’t even know them!). There is a circular drive that makes the turnaround a perfect teardrop so there is none of the awkwardness of the tight traffic cone turn. And it’s a good thing too, because I can’t imagine anyone will be very focused on their footwork with such breathtaking views to be had.

After the turnaround (where there will be plenty of Porta-Potties) the course simply repeats itself in reverse (watch out for that steep section near the trailhead that is uphill in this direction!) until the final three mile section, which is composed of a series of fairly tight downhill turns—look for the couple toasting you with their coffee mugs from their balcony towards the end of this section. After that, you run across a footbridge and into the finish area at Port Marina Park where you will collect your hand-crafted medal and some well-deserved grub, including a tasty cup of Ryan’s hot apple cider.

This challenging course goes by quickly despite the elevation gain (2,068 ft) and loss (2,350 ft) because there is so much to see. The 2011 Columbia Gorge Marathon will truly by a race to remember.